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Search-and-Rescue helps Mt. Ritter climbers

A Mono County rescuer team last weekend helped a father and son off Mt. Ritter after the climbers were blocked by a rain-fueled waterfall, authorities said

The rescue was at about 3 p.m.

According to a report from the Mono County Search and Rescue team, the pair had attempted to summit Mt. Ritter, a popular peak located 13 miles northwest of Mammoth.

The climbing team had reached a point on their descent that was blocked by a waterfall. They were unable to continue their descent from the peak due to the high volume of water coming down the steep slope.

The SAR Team responded, along with a California Highway Patrol H40 helicopter based in Auburn.

The helicopter dropped a two-person search and rescue climbing team in the valley 400 feet below the father and son.

Due to favorable weather and wind conditions, the helicopter was able to hover over the father and son, and with the assistance of the SAR team, was able to load them into the helicopter while maintaining a hover next to the rock ledge where the climbers were stranded.

The H40 crew flew the uninjured climbers to the Mammoth/Yosemite Airport and then returned to the scene to pick up the SAR members.